One of the most important aspects of films based on war conflict is just how much they reflect the real world. The purpose of these cinematic classics is to entertain audiences, but also to inform.
Directors have the key responsibility to get the details right, and transport their audiences right back to battle, all from the comfort of our sofas or the big screen.
Here are the top five most accurate war movies of all time ranked, according to WatchMojo.com – and many are easier to stream than you might think. Grab a blanket, some popcorn, and settle in for a Sunday matinee. And what’s more – the number 1 spot is currently available to stream on BBC iplayer and Amazon Prime.
5. “COME AND SEE” (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes ranking = 89%
Released in 1985, this Soviet drama contains real accounts from the Nazi genocide and Germany’s invasion of Byelorussia during WW2, and takes real inspiration in the form of accurate uniform and bullets, as well as extras from the village in which it is set. One critic labels it ‘as harrowing and horrifying a war film as I’ve ever seen’.
The film’s director, Elem Klimov, fought eight years of censorship from Soviet authorities before he was eventually allowed to produce the entire film. Giving a five-star review on Rotten Tomatoes, one moved viewer wrote: “This is a heart wrenching film and might possibly be my favorite war film.”
4. “PLATOON” (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes ranking = 89%
Charlie Sheen plays a soldier in Vietnam, discovering the reality of war along with the audience. It explores the common themReviewers use ‘powerful’, ‘painful’ and ‘impassioned’ as a few descriptors of this one. Film critic Marsha McCreadie penned on review website Rotten Tomatoes: “I didn’t take a single note during the screening of Platoon: It’s that engrossing, that overwhelming.”
One impressed viewer added: “Everytime I watch this I notice something different. The most accurate and best movie about the Vietnam War that I have ever seen. The cast is outstanding, music, cinematography, just all incredible. Felt that both Berringer and Da Foe should have won the award, but believe they cancelled each other out. Simply incredible movie.”
3. “BLACK HAWK DOWN” (2001)
Rotten Tomatoes ranking = 76%
Black Hawk Down focuses on U.S. forces’ entry into Somalia, with critics calling it ‘a realist vein’ thanks to its portrayal of the Battle of Mogadishu. Despite its documentary-style reporting, it has been criticised for its lacking perspectives of Malaysia and Pakistan’s involvement. And although it was named as one of the most accurate war films of all time, it appears not all watchers agree.
Giving a four-star review, one person wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: “Great depiction of combat. Did take some liberties with the script and was not as accurate as the book. If they made it truly accurate to the book and took in the Somali perspective it would be in the GOAT conversation.”
2. “LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA” (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes ranking = 91%
One of two films made to depict both sides of the battle, this Clint Eastwood entry captures the reality for Japanese soldiers during World War II. The film is largely in Japanese, despite its American-making. This, and the relatability of the three lead characters, has been praised by critics as ‘an overwhelmingly powerful eulogy’. Its dedication to the truth, without glorifying war, won the film a lot of positive feedback.
Dubbing it a “great movie”, one viewer wrote on IMDb: “Don’t listen to the people who call this movie inaccurate or revisionist history. The movie is accurate. There were people on both sides of the war who at times showed kindness.”
1. “SAVING PRIVATE RYAN” (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes rating = 94%
Claiming top spot – perehaps unsurprisingly – is this Steven Spielberg classic. Featuring a star-studded cast, we join Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller on his group’s attempt to find a lost soldier. On their mission, each man faces a test of his own strength, triumphing over hardships. Critics call this ‘the closest you can get [to war] without enlisting’, with the first twenty-four minutes deemed ‘one of the greatest pieces of combat cinema’.
As well as being widely praised for its accuracy, the film has countless reviews from critics and viewers dubbing it the “best war movie ever made”. One person summed it up on IMDb, writing: “It is a soul numbing realistic depiction of what our grandfathers, fathers, uncles, brothers and sons have faced in humanities darkest moments. Not just in WWII but in any war.”